Effect of alugbati (Basella rubra Linn.) syrup on bowel movement among male rabbits.

DESIGN: This study utilizes the experimental design.

SETTING: This study was conducted at the 4th floor, room 415 of Cebu Doctors' University, North Reclamation Are, Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines.

PROCEDURE/INTERVENTION: The leaves were washed, dried and cut into pieces exposing from the heat of the sun and air in order to dry the leaves easily. A portion of the dried alugbati leaves were placed in a container with 750 ml of ethyl alcohol that is allowed to stand for a period of 3 days until some matters were dissolved and filtered. The extractives then subjected to rotary evaporator. The tests with male albino rabbits were then don-using a syringe without needles administering each rabbits with computed dose basing on their weight with positive (lilac syrup), experimental (alugbati syrup) & negative (simple syrup). Laxative effect was then determined basing on these three criteria: consistency, frequency and volume for three trials. Datas were recorded within the 1st 2 hrs, 2nd 2hrs and 3rd 2hrs after administration.

RESULTS: The experimental group's mean bowel consistency before drug administration is 1.1 and 1.4 after drug administration; the mean frequency of defecation before administration is 3.6 and 4.4 after drug administration; the mean volume of bowel before administration is 3.4 and 4.1 after drug administration. There is significant change in bowel consistency (W= -2.326a, p=.025

CONCLUSION: This study revealed that Alugbati leaves have potential laxative effect on bowel consistency, frequency of defecation and volume of bowel. It was also found out that the peak activity of the alugbati laxative effect was on the first two hours.